Regeneration of contact masses



y 1942. H. z. MARTIN 2,284,584

REGENERATION OF CONTACT MASSES Filed Sept. 14, 1940 Patented May 26, 1942 REGENERATION OF CONTACT MASSES Homer Z. Martin, Elizabeth, N. 3., assignor to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 1940, Serial No. 356,812

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the regeneration of contact masses containing combustible deposits,

and pertains more particularly to a method of regenerating fixed beds or masses of contact materials contained within a bank of reaction or treating chambers.

While the invention in its broader phases has a more general application, as will appear hereinaiter, it pertains more-particularly to the regeneration of solid contact masses employed in the treatment of hydrocarbon oils such asin the regenerating contact masses in which regeneration and purging can be accomplished more rapidly and thus reduce the length of time the reaction chamber is out of productive operation.

More specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawing which is a.

conversion, purification and refining. of such oils.

The conversion of hydrocarbon oils may involve,

.for example, catalytic cracking, polymerization,

alkylation, isomerization, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, or the like, whereas the purification and refining of such oils may involve reforming, desulfurization, stabilization, decolorization, or the like. has specific application to the catalytic cracking of such oils to form motor fuels, and for illustrative purposes the invention will be described with particular reference thereto.

In the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oils and in other types of reactions before mentioned,

the contact mass rapidly becomes fouled with carbonaceous deposits which reduce the efliciency of such materials for bringing about the desired treatment. In view of this, it is necessary to frequently regenerate such masses. According to one mode of operation heretofore used, the treatment inthe individual treating chambers is interrupted to effect the regeneration of the contact mass. This regeneration is normally accomplished by passing an oxidizing gas through the contact mass at a temperature suflicient to burn the carbonaceous deposits but below that which would impair the activity of the catalyst for bringing about the desired treatment. The temperature of regeneration may be controlled, for example, by recycling part of the spent regeneration gas after cooling the latter in any desired manner. Such a mode of operation involves alternate periods or cycles of treatmentand regeneration of the contact mass in the indlvidual chambers. 7 Furthermore, in many cases it is desirable to condition the contact mass between the treating and regenerating cycles and vice versa. This conditioning may involve the purging of the contact mass of reaction vapors following the treating period to remove reaction products and the purging of the contact mass of oxygen containing gas following the regeneration periods. Both purging steps are primarily to prevent intermingling of oxygen containing gas employed during regeneration with oil vapors trapped in the contact mass afterthe treating periods.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of purging and The invention in its narrower phases diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus suitable for carrying the invention into eflect.

Referring to the drawing, reference characters i and 2 designate two reaction chambers, each of which is adapted to contain contact masses to be regenerated. The particular con struction of such chambers forms no part of the present invention. In order to circulate the regenerating gas at a high velocity with minimum resistamce to flow, it is usually desirable to provide a relatively short path for the regenerating gases passing through the contact mass within the reaction chambers. This can be accomplished, for example, byproviding a plurality of spaced shallow beds of contact mass within each reaction chamber and by providing suitable distributing pipes to permit the. regenerating gas to pass in parallel through the individual beds.

. Another method of accomplishing this is to place the plurality of perforated tubes within the con tactmass for the introduction and removalof regenerating gas.

The reaction chambersi and 2 to; operate under a different phase of the complete cycle. For example, during certain periods of operation one reaction chamber may be undergoing; the regenerating while the other is undergoing the reacting portion of the cycle.

The number of reaction chambers employed is not limited to two as shown in the drawing, but any desired number may be provided.

In accordance with the present invention, during certain periods of operation regenerating gas removed from a reaction chamber which is un dergoing initial stages of regeneration is divided, a part being recycled to the same reaction chamber While another part is passed to another reaction chamber which is just completing the regeneration. During the same period regenerating gas withdrawn from a reaction chamber undergoing final stages of regeneration is divided, a part being recycled to the same chamber and a part being-passed to a reaction chamber undergoing initial stages of regeneration. Expressed in another way, reaction chambers undergoing initial and final stages of regeneration are operated in parallel. During this period the oxygen supply is discontinued. As a result the carbonaceous deposits on the catalyst undergoing initial stages of regeneration are utilized to burn the excess oxygen in the gases passing through are intended The reaction products are removed from the reactimchambers I andithroughoutleisiand Lrespectivelmleadingto a commonmanifold 8 from which flrey are named to suitable purificalion and iractionaiing equipment (not shown) for the purification and segregation of the desired producm from the total reaction products.

Regenerafion of the contact material within the reaction chambers I and 2 is accomplished byrneansofanoxidizinggassuchasairor other oxygen containing gas introduced into the systemthroughlineswhichleadstothesuction side of a blower 10. The regenerating gas is forced by the blower I8 through line H and valved branch lines I! and I: to reaction chambers l and 2, respectively. Spent regenerating gas is withdrawn from reaction chambers i and 2 through valved lines H and I5, rmpectively, leading to a common manifold l5. These products may be rejected from the system through line ll. However, in order to control the temperature during regeneration, it is usually desirable to recirculate a portion of the spent regen erating gas back to the reaction chamber. This is accomplished, according to the drawing, by passing a portion of the spent regenerating gas through line I, cooler I9, and line 2. to the inlet side of the blower Ill. The amount of cooled regenerating gas recirculated-as compared with the amount of air introduced through line S is regulated to prevent excessive temperatures in the reaction chambers l or 2, as the case may be. during the regenerating period.

As previolmly mentioned, the complete operating cycle involves (1) the treating or reacting period, (2) the period following the reacting period in which the reaction chamber is purged of reaction products and if necessary brought to the required pressure for accomplishing the regeneration, (3) the regenerating period in which carbonaceous deposits are removed from the contact mass within the individual reaction chambers, and (4) further conditioning of the contact mass following the regenerating period to remove r'egeneratinggases from the chambers and-to adjust the pressure in case a difierential pressure is maintainedduring the treating and regenerating periods.

In accordance with prior practices, in order to accomplish the P r ing or conditioning treatment following regeneration the oxygen supply to the chamber which is undergoing regeneration is first cut E and an inert stripping gas is then introduced into the reaction chamber. The purpose of this is to remove the oxygen from the reaction chamber and to prevent it from commingling with the products undergoing reaction at the start of the reacting period In accordance with the present invention, the

atmosphere within the reaction chambers i and 2 is purged 0! oxygen by opcratingthe reaction chamber undergoing initial stages of regeneration in parallel with the reaction chamber undergoing final stages of regeneration so that the carbon contained in the contact mass in the chamberundergoing stages of regeneration isusedtoexhausttheoxygeniromthecirculating stream.

For example, asume that reaction chamber 2 is undergoing the final stages of regeneration whereas reaction chamber I has been purged of reaction products and is about to begin regeneration. Thevalvesin lines I2 and I3 and "and I 5 are opened so that regenerating gas circulates throughbothreactionchambers i and 2. The valve in the inlet line 9 for mtroducing the oxygen containing gas is closed during this period. In this way excess oxygen in the circulating system is exhausted by burning carbonaceous deposits in reaction chamber i sothat reaction chamber 2 is freed of gas. When the oxygen present in the circulating system has been removed, the valve in lines it and 15 may be closed and the regeneration continued in reaction chamber i while the reaction products may be introduced immediately into reaction chamber 2 without an intermediate purging treatment.

Having described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that it embram such other variations and modifications as come within the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim: 7

In contact processes employing fixed beds of solid contact material positioned in a bank of reaction chambers which are subjected to alternate periods of treating and oxidatlve regeneration wherein spent regenerati gas removed from the chambers during the final stages of regeneration contains an excess of free oxygen which is purged from the reaction chamber before starting the next treating period and wherein the reaction and regenerating periods for the separate reaction chambers are arranged in staggered relation so that one reaction chamber is starting regeneration while another is undergoing purm'ng treatment following the regenerating period; the method of purging the reaction chamber following the regenerating period which comprises discontinuing the oxygen supply to the reaction chambers to be purged upon completion of the regeneration period, thereafter circulating spent regenerating gas containing unconsumed oxygen removed from said last-named chamber in parallel througha reaction chamber undergoing iniflal stages 0! regeneration and the reaction chamberto'be purged whereby excess oxygen present in said spent regenerating gas is consumed by regenerating contact material into said chamber undergoing initial stages of regeneration, continuing the recirculation of said spent regenerating gas in parallel through said chambersunfiltheexccsoxygenpresentin said gas is substantially exhausted, thereafter discontinuing the circulation of spent regenerating gas through said chamber undergoing purging treatment and thereafter pasing gases to betreated therethrough.

Y HOMER z. MARTIN. 

